


Pitfall

by seeingintechnicolor



Series: When Darkness Won [1]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-12
Updated: 2015-05-20
Packaged: 2018-03-17 11:35:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3527900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/seeingintechnicolor/pseuds/seeingintechnicolor
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Just speculation on the upcoming episodes (until 3x20) of Arrow. Wrote this because Val (aka OlicityAlways) had this as her head cannon.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was a oneshot that got really long. I've decided to post it in sections. 4-5 chapters at most...

Oliver realized, once it was too late, that he was irrevocably in love with Felicity. He’d always known, telling her whenever he could. He’d told her that night in the hospital, he’d told her after the whole ‘Brother Eye’ situation, and he’d told her right before he went to fight Ra’s. Each time he told her that he loved her, it broke his heart to not hear her say it back. Yet in the back of his mind he realized that once she said it, it would be all out in the open. There would be no denying it.

Felicity felt the same. She knew she loved Oliver, she was just too scared to say it. If she told him and then got her heart broken again, she’d never recover. The last person she loved, came back from the dead to tried to kill her. Before that, her father had left her and her mother. She didn’t exactly have a good track record when it came to loving people.

When Ray came around she realized his attractiveness and his charm. Working for him made her get to know him better, being that she was his partner. With his creation of the A.T.O.M suit, she also realized that she cared for him. She cared enough to not want to see him hurt. She knew she did not love Ray, but she could not ignore that Ray was a distraction from her less than ideal relationship with Oliver. 

Slade’s words to Oliver after he put him back in his cell striked him to his core. He was right. How many people could he lose before he wasn’t himself anymore? Felicity was the most innocent out of anyone he knew. He couldn’t have her lose that. He was determined to keep her the way she was. Thea was already too far gone. With his mother and father already dead, he had no one left to lose. 

Part 1  
Oliver ran across the roof, chasing after the bank robbers who stole 1 million dollars from Starling National Bank. As he caught up with them, he shot out the tires and blew the doors from their hinges. 

"I'm sorry man, we'll return all the money." The robbers pleaded for them to be let off the hook. 

"Too late for that." He replied in his Arrow voice. He knocked them both unconscious, then called for Lance to come pick them up.

He noticed the lack of communication over the radios, wondering if Felicity was even there. Today was a slow night, so he told Dig to stay home. When he left for patrols that night, Felicity had not yet shown up but he hoped that at some point she would. She would usually keep him company, but tonight he was all alone with just Roy out on his own. After all Oliver's death scare he realized that Roy was not strong enough yet to protect the city alone, so he had been allowing him to go out alone and take on more responsibilities.

When he arrived back at the Foundry, he noticed the lack of people. Laurel's suit was still in its case. Roy was not back yet. He knew where Dig was. But where was Felicity?

He changed in the back, showering in the small bathroom and just leaving a pair of shorts on. Still no Felicity. He decided to call Dig and ask if he'd heard from her.

He picked up after 3 rings. "Oliver...?" He sounded sluggish and tired. 

"Were you sleeping?" Oliver asked

"Yes because that's what normal people do at 3 am." Dig retorted. 

Oliver didn't notice how late it was. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. I just needed to ask you something."

"Go ahead." He responded.

"Have you seen Felicity? I haven't talked to her all day and she didn't show up in the Foundry." He asked, trying to hide his concern.

"Last I heard she was heading to STAR Labs with Ray." Dig replied.

"What for?" He questioned, feeling a twinge of jealously.

"I don't know but they left just this afternoon."

"She's been spending a lot of time with him recently," Oliver spat, not daring to say his name.

"Well she does work with him, Oliver." Dig was trying to brush off what they both knew.

"You know very well what I mean," he said through gritted teeth.

"I'm sure whatever it is the reason for them going it's because he's interested in buying them up."

"He's interested in buying up a building with a failed Particle Accelerator? I don't like the sound of that. What if he finds about Barry?" Oliver wondered.

"Are you honestly worried about Barry? Or is this about Felicity?"

"Diggle. Don't. Goodnight." Oliver hung up the phone, slamming it back down on the metal table. 

Roy limped down the steps of the Lair, hood down and bow slung across his back. 

"Good news is the bad guys are done for the night. Bad news is I think one of them shot me." 

Oliver was pulled out of his thoughts and immediately came to help him sit down on the medical table. 

“Where are you hurt?” Oliver started inspecting him for injuries.

“I think he shot me in the arm. Not sure if he just grazed me or if the bullet’s still in there.” Roy groaned as he inched off his red leather jacket. 

As Oliver began to clean up Roy’s arm, he winced. 

“OW! Where's Felicity when you need her?!” Roy gritted his teeth as Oliver sutured.

“Sorry.” Oliver apologized. “I’ve become so dependent on her patching everyone. I guess I’ve lost my touch.” Oliver finished up stitching his arm, being careful to not hurt him any more.

“Where is she by the way?” Roy asked.

“Who? Felicity?” Oliver asked

“Yea. She wasn’t here when I left, and she’s not here now. I haven’t heard from her all day. Is something wrong?" Roy wondered

"She's in Central City..." said Oliver with spite in his voice,"with Ray."

"For what? Are they..?" 

"I DON'T KNOW. All I know is that they're at STAR Labs." he yelled. 

Roy wondered why they were at STAR Labs, but he noticed the clear anger in Oliver's face and decided not to push any farther


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ray and Felicity make it to Central City. It goes downhill from there...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wasn't going to post this today but from the response I got on the first chapter I've decided not to keep you guys waiting. Here is the next part.

As Ray and Felicity waked into the 600th floor of STAR Labs, Ray felt like a kid in a candy store.

"Something tells me that these guys will have no problem helping me out." Ray smiled, looking at all the monitors and science gadgets in the labs.

"Barry you're about to run into..." Cisco walked into the room, holding a tablet and talking over Bluetooth. He had a pen in his mouth and a surprised look on his face. Felicity wanted it to seem as if he didn't know her so before he could speak she made a motion to not say her name. "Barry I'll talk to you later, sorry." He put down his tablet and earpiece. "Hello.. You are?" He held out a hand towards Ray. 

"I'm Ray Palmer, CEO of Palmer Tech. I came here because I need your help." Ray returned his handshake.

"And you are...?" Directing it towards Felicity.

"Felicity. Felicity Smoak." She politely smiled, keeping up the charade that she didn't know him.

"Cisco why did you hang up on Bar..." She stopped, looking at Ray and Felicity. "Um Cisco, who's this?"

"This is Ray Palmer and Felicity Smoak. They need our help" he replied

"Barry I'll have to call you back. We have some visitors." She shook their hands, catching onto the secret. "Hi. I'm Dr Snow, this is Cisco Ramon." She said gesturing to him.

"What can we do for you?" Cisco asked.

2 days later…

Ray was standing in the middle of an empty metal room. He had 3 targets in front of him and apparently very bad aim. 

Cisco spoke over the intercom, “I think we need to work on your aim but that last test was good. It works!” 

Cisco sat back in his chair. Felicity stood next to him, observing Ray as he tinkered with one of the gear in his suit.

“Cisco does this mean we can leave? We can’t keep kicking Barry out. His suit is here…,” she said in a hushed tone. Felicity was worried. She didn’t want Ray to find out about Barry or her ‘extracurricular’ activities. 

“Relax. He’s kept it at Joe’s place and Caitlin is assisting him from the comfort of his living room.” he replied

Suddenly an alarm in the building started going off. Then the lights shut off. 

“Nobody freak out! The backup generator will turn on any minute now.” Cisco yelled.

Clicks could be heard everywhere and all the monitors turned on. A message echoed throughout the building. 

“Hello Cisco. I promised you that I’d be back. Now I am. You can’t get out and your precious Flash can’t save you.” All the monitors went dark once more. It was Hartley. He locked them in. 

“He jamming all signals.” Cisco grunted, ”I can’t contact anyone!” 

“What about the Pipeline?” Felicity asked

“It’s on its own separate grid. Nothing can turn that off.” Cisco pounded his fist on the table. “Damn it Hartley. He was always an a…” Cisco was cut off

“Hey! What is this guy talking about? Who is he and what does he want with you?” Ray came walking out of the lab, demanding answers.

They both just stared, not sure what to say. Felicity was the first to speak.

“Cisco we have to tell him.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUN...
> 
> ps sorry this was so short...


	3. Chapter 3

Cisco waited for a moment then spoke, “We work with the Flash. This place,” he gestured around him ,” when it exploded, created him. But it wasn’t just him. It gave a lot of other people powers too, not all of them use them for good. So we help the Flash clean up the mess we made. This guy,” he pointed toward the monitors, "Is out for revenge because we stopped him the last time he tried something.”

He turned to Felicity,” I’m assuming you've known about this all along. You worked with him too?”

“Only twice.” she lied

Ray crossed his arms in front of him, “Is there anything else I need to know?” 

Felicity but her lip. "I also work with the Arrow..."

"And I'm correct to assume you weren't going to tell me that either?" Ray further questioned.  
“It wasn’t my secret to tell.” Felicity retorted with gritted teeth. 

“I HAD A RIGHT TO KNOW!” Ray yelled

“No you didn’t!” She stared back at him, challenging him. “What I do with the Arrow is dangerous work. It was none of your business… Now can we please focus on the task at hand?!”

Cisco just stared between them, “Yeah guys that’s a good idea.” He tried to break the awkward silence. 

“I think it might be time to my suit to good use.” Ray walked back into the lab and began to put it on. 

Cisco spoke in a hushed voice, “Felicity I am not sure that you were supposed to tell him…”

“I had no choice! He’s is only person that has even the slightest chance against Hartley. “ She replied

“Even Barry had trouble taking this guy down. I don’t think Mr. Palmer will stand any chance.”

“He is our only chance. Barry can’t help us…” Cisco turned to see Ray as he walked out of the room, his full suit of armor already on.

“It begins in ten seconds…” Hartley’s voice came booming over the intercoms once more. Ray took a fighting stance ready for anything coming at him. 

“Ray, Hartley is a manipulator. He won’t attack but he’ll try to split us up. We can’t let that happen.” Cisco, Felicity, and Ray all stood together and ready. The lights in the building shut off once more and all that was left were the flashing emergency lights in the hallways.   
Felicity spoke up. “We have to get the lights back up and running. Where is the backup generator?” she asked

“It’s in the west wing. If you want me to fix then we’ll all have to go.” They readied themselves, walking towards the end of the hall. 

They made it to the door of the west wing. It was sealed off after the explosion because they were afraid of any radiation leaks. It had been cleared since then but out of fear they still ever set foot in it.

As Cisco slid his STAR Labs I.D card into the slot, he could hear sounds of shuffling behind him. Then Felicity screaming.

“Felicity?!” Cisco yelled. He ran to where he heard the sound.

Felicity lay on the ground, holding her head in hand. 

“Are you okay? What happened?” He stood, helping her to her feet. 

“Hartley… He took Ray.” Felicity answered 

Back with Oliver...  
He had been sparring with Roy, taking his mind off of his last encounter with Ra’s Al Ghul. Oliver had to admit that the offer was appealing, having the power of a whole league behind him to finally clean up the streets, seemed like a good idea for a short while. But he saw what League life did to people. Sara firsthand admitted that she would rather die than go back. 

Roy could see the distraction in Oliver’s face as they fought, allowing him to get an easy shot in. He almost didn’t notice...

“Earth to Oliver!” Roy shouted. He gave a look of confusion as Oliver finally paid attention. “What’s going on with you?”

They both put the fighting sticks down on the table and walked towards the center of the foundry. 

With hesitation in his voice, Oliver spoke “Ra’s offered me his place…” 

“Woah seriously? I’m assuming by the look in your face that you've considered it?” Roy crossed his arms, pressing further.

Oliver opened his mouth to speak but stopped before he did. 

“In two years… What have I really accomplished? The Arrow hasn’t saved this city. How much longer will this go on? Ten? Twenty years? Will I ever truly stop people from getting hurt in this city?” he paused for a moment to collect his thoughts, “Ra’s Al Ghul has complete control over the League of Assassins. They work for him. What he says is how it goes. Having that kind of power… would accomplish what I want in a matter of days-”

“OLIVER! You are not a killer! The League of Assassins are called that for a reason!” Roy replied, cutting him off.

“I would change that. They would listen to me!” he yelled back.  
“Do you honestly believe that Oliver? I know I sure don’t.” Roy sneered, raising an eyebrow at him.

Oliver took two steps towards him, trying him to use his stature to stop the argument. He looked down at him.

“Are you done?” Oliver replied, using his Arrow voice which was considerably deeper than his normal voice.

“Yeah. I’m done.” With that Roy walked out the foundry, leaving Oliver alone to wrestle with his own thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys!!!!   
> I've missed my readers!!!  
> I'm so sorry i haven't posted in the past week. I finally got released for Spring Break so now I've had more time to write. I also have to admit that I find it very hard to write the scenes with Ray and the STAR Labs team... It's just not my thing. I'm much more comfortable with my baby Oliver.... 
> 
> Anyways like/comment please!! I hope to have another chapter by the end of the week.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH My.... its been so long and I'm so sorry. i know from a readers standpoint that i have been torturing you guys for weeks now. I have school and AP tests and finals in two weeks. My life is so hectic right now and I'm looking for a job and taking class in the summer at college. i have so much going on that I lost my muse for writing. I had originally hoped for this whole fic to be uploaded before 3x20 but that didn't work out... Sorry....
> 
> Anyways heres the chapter!

As Ray opened his eyes, he could see the flickering lights and the warning signs still flashing in the hallways.

“Felicity? Cisco?” He got no answer. 

When he sat up his vision went blurry and he felt lightheaded.

"FELICITY! CISCO!" Still no answer.

Screaming hurt his head, and walking almost seemed like a foreign concept as he stood up, making his way back through the hallways.

After a few moments his slow gait became a run, desperately searching for his friends.

"FELICITY!!" He continued to scream her name, hoping to get a reply.

He checked every cranny he could find, until it occurred to him the use the ATOM suit. He could scan the whole building for life signs, instead of searching by foot.

As he scanned the building his heart dropped. He only found one, one faint life sign. 

When he went to where it came from, he dropped to his knees. There before him was Cisco on his side and Felicity on her back. 

He ran to her side, only to find her in a pool of her own blood, pooling from a wound in her side.

"No...no...no... Felicity? FELICITY!" His voice cracked as he held her in his arms. "I'm sorry. I told you that I would protect you... And I failed...." He held her close to his face, refusing to let go.

"Ray she saved me. Hartley was going to shoot me but she pushed me out of the way.." Cisco's voice cracked as well, tears rolling down his cheek. "It's all my fault," he whispered as he finally broke.

"It's not your fault Cisco. Felicity was strong in her own way. She only did something when she truly beloved it was right thing to do. So believe me... This was not your fault."

As he stood, carrying her in his arms he spoke,"I have to get her to the hospital.." 

"Woah woah what are you doing? She's gone Ray. There's nothing you can do." He hated to admit it but it was true.

"What else do I do? I can't take her anywhere and I can't leave her here!" Ray yelled, his face still stained from his tears.

"I might know a place..." 

Back in Starling City...

It had been a day since Roy and Oliver argued over his decision. In that time he had decided not to take the offer but wished that Felicity were with him to really convince him. Where was she? 

Usually when she left, she'd keep them updated on what was going on and when she'd return. This time should've been no different. Even so, the lack of communication was troubling, worry started to fill his mind. 

Then he went to the Lair, and time seemed to stop.

There she was, laying on that table that he had so many times woken up on after violent night. A place where he swore that he'd never let her be. And yet there she was. Not moving. Not breathing. Pale and cold.

His eyes started pouring before he even moved towards. He was frozen in shock at the sight of her. Ray and Cisco stood there staring at him, wondering what he was going to do. As he walked toward her, his breathing stopped. He didn't even care that Ray was here when he shouldn't have. 

“Felicity?” he whispered. He touched her face, holding her cheek in his hand. 

"Felicity? Open your eyes Felicity!" He screamed. 

He touched her neck, looking for a pulse. He couldn't find one.

"How did this happen? What did you do?!" He moved away from Felicity, turning to Palmer and backing him against a wall.

"I'm sorry! We were in STAR Labs and Hartley.." Oliver cut him off.

"Woah who's Hartley?" He questioned 

"Barry ran into him a few weeks back." Cisco answered

"So you were there in you fancy suit and you couldn't protect her! From a meta human freak!" Oliver punched Ray in the face, taking out his anger on his cheek bone. 

"Oliver stop!" Cisco yelled. Ray didn't put up a fight, he knew that Oliver needed this.

"She trusted you! She put her life on the line for you! To help you!" He walked towards Ray, who lay on the floor clutching his face in his hand. 

"Ray did all he could, Hartley knocked him out he couldn't..." 

"HE SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN OUT THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE!" Oliver lost it, tears dry but rage filling him. He punched Ray again, this time in the side. 

"I know how you felt about her. I'm sorry. I know it won't bring her back but... I'm sorry." Ray stood, still hesitant to approach Oliver.

"Felicity wouldn't want you to do this. Don't kill him." Cisco said

"Don't tell me what she would want!" He spat back, intimidating him with his 6 foot stature.

He walked back to the table where she lay, closing his eyes and keeping his head down. 

"There is something I can do...but I don't know if it will work" Oliver whispered.

"What?" Cisco questioned.

"I can save her" he said, turning back to them.

"Oliver, she's gone. You have to accept it." Cisco answered

"No. She's not. She can't..." He walked out of the Lair, leaving them both with more questions.

2 days later...

She opened her eyes, observing the environment around her. She was covered in silk cloth, in a very large warm bed. There were candles all around the room, and she was alone. She didn't know where she was. 

She tried sitting up but failed. Her side still felt sore. 

"Ow..." She whispered. 

As she stood on her feet and walked towards the double doors, she realized that she was very naked. She found a small wardrobe on the side of room, a pair of pants and a black tshirt draped over it. 

When she was done dressing, she opened the doors to her room, finding two League of Assassins outfit clad men awaiting her.

"No...No!" She ran away from them, trying to find an exit.

Instead she found him. 

He was standing and staring at the moon from the window. 

“Oliver?” she whispered “What’s going on?”

He turned around and almost made her fall as he ran to hug her. 

“Hey you’re safe. I’m here. ” He hugged her tight, almost suffocating her.  
“Where are we?” she asked, nervous for an answer.

“We are in Nanda Parbat… We’re with the League…” he pulled back to catch her reaction.

“Why? Oliver, what happened?” 


	5. Chapter 5

He backed away, scared of her reaction. “You were hurt. I had to save you. They saved you…”

“What do you mean they saved me?” she pushed.

“You died. Saving Cisco...I had no other choice.” he answered.

"What did you do?" She asked

"The League have ways of healing mortal wounds or in your case bringing someone back from the dead…” he paused looking down at his feet to avoid her gaze. "But I had to give them something in return." He began to walk back towards the pit in the center of the room.

She was scared. Scared of his response. Scared what he would do for her.

"What did you give them?" She asked hesitantly.

"Me." He answered. "Ra's told me a few weeks back that he wanted me to take his place in the League. I told him no. I didn't want his life. But then you.... I saw you lying on that table and I couldn't let you die." His voice broke. "So I took you here and pleaded that he save you. The only way he would do it is if I accepted his offer."

Felicity could feel the anger welling up inside her. "So you sacrificed yourself for me? Do you know the guilt I'll have to live with because you gave up your soul for me? Why did you do it? Why didn't you let me die?!" She was angry. Angry and Guilty. Guilty that because of her the love of her life could not have a life because of her.

"Because I love you! I couldn't let you die because I care about so much you that nothing else matters to me. I'm sorry you have to live with that guilt but it's better than you not living at all. At least if I'm here I'll know you have a second chance to live you're life. Even if it's without me..." He was barely keeping it together now. All his anger had now become pain. Pain that now he really had no chance of being with her. 

"I won't let you Oliver! There has be some loophole or someth... some.." She was losing hope. Although she didn't want to believe it, she knew there was nothing she could do to save him.

"Felicity I'm sorry. I know that you lo... I know that you care about me but there is nothing you can do. It was my choice and I'd gladly do it all over again if it means you would be able to live."

"What about you? What will you do? Life as Ra's Al Ghul means being a killer. Oliver no matter what you think, you are not evil. I know you better than anyone and you are not a killer." She'd wanted to tell him that she loved him for so long know that it hurt for him not to know. " I won't let you, even if that means we leave everyone else behind. Leave with me and you'll be safe. You'll be with me..." She was gripping onto his forearm, urging him to go with her. 

"Wherever we go Ra's would hunt us. He has people all over the world. I have to stay... For Thea... and for you." He turned back around, not able to look and her and keep himself together.

Suddenly two masked League member came in, walking towards Felicity with haste. 

"Oliver?" She asked, as they began to take her away. "Oliver! No let go of me!" She struggled against them, trying to break free. "Oliver don't do this! No!" 

When she was finally outside of the room he allowed himself to break, showing very emotion he had built up over the last few days. Then in an instant he remembered his fate. He would be Ra's Al Ghul. He alone would control an army of trained assassins. He would become the person he swore to never become. But it was for her. Everything he had ever done for the last five years was for his city. His family. 

But did he really succeed? He wasn't sure. Oliver Queen walked into Nanda Parbat that week, ready to sacrifice himself for Felicity. Oliver Queen was dead and Al Sah Him would rise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay!! This is the last chapter! I hope you enjoyed it! If you didn't.. I'm sorry. i just wrote what I wanted to happen. I was brainstorming for a fan fiction to post- as a sequel to this au season 3 ending- during the hiatus, but depending on my schedule in the summer between work and school I don't know if i have time...  
> Leave a like/ comment if you please!
> 
> For now I'm signing off ~ Liz


End file.
